No justice in Zambia, villagers sue KCM in London

Because most Zambian judges are corrupt stupid idiots, thousands of Zambian villagers have decided to seek justice against Vedanta in the United Kingdom.

The villages have been for many years arguing that water was contaminated by KCM, a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources. But Vedanta is arguing that the case should be heard in Zambia, not the UK. This is obviously because Vedanta knows that, in Zambia, it can buy judges and the lawyers for the victims. This it has been doing for many years.

Tomorrow (Tuesday), Vedanta is set to argue in the London high court that Zambian villagers should not be allowed to bring a case alleging pollution of their water from a KCM to the British courts, according to the Guardian of UK.

Zambia’s president Edgar Lungu has already said he hates people who sue Zambian firms outside Zambia as it, according to him, undermines the Zambian judiciary. Lungu has even promised to punish lawyers who sue Zambians firms outside the country.

The 1,826 villagers say they have suffered continual pollution since 2004 and that it is still ongoing, causing them to fall sick and lose their crops.

Leaked documents, that the BBC has seen, appear to show that Vedanta Resources – through its Zambian based Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) – have been spilling sulphuric acid and other toxic chemicals into the water sources.

But in a three-day hearing at the high court, the mining companies are expected to challenge the jurisdiction of the villagers’ claims, saying that because they are Zambian and the alleged damage occurred in Zambia, any case against them should be heard in that country.

London-based law firm Leigh Day, acting for the villagers, is expected to respond that because Vedanta Resources is headquartered in Britain and exercises a significant degree of control over its subsidiary’s health and safety policies, it should be held to account in London, reports the Guardian.

It will also argue that the villagers are less able to obtain justice in Zambia. According to Leigh Day, the pollution has been going on for many years and no successful claim for damages has been brought in Zambia.

Martyn Day, the senior partner at Leigh Day, said: “The claimants are desperately poor Zambians who are anxious to be compensated for all the losses and harm they have suffered as speedily as possible. It is clear that justice is far more likely to be achieved quickly and efficiently by the cases staying in this country.”

The high court hearing could have a far-reaching impact for communities seeking legal redress in Britain and for London-based multinational companies with subsidiaries in developing countries.

Should the court decide for the companies it could allow those with subsidiaries in developing countries to avoid being sued in London. English courts have jurisdiction over any company that is domiciled within their territory.

But if the court decides for the villagers it will confirm London as a world legal centre to test corporate behaviour in poorer countries. Many of the world’s biggest mining and oil companies have headquarters in London.

In other countries, such as the US, courts do not so readily accept jurisdiction over corporations being sued in their home country for actions that took place abroad.

The four Zambian villages are close to the city of Chingola and next to the giant Nchanga Copper Mine, which is operated by KCM. Vedanta bought a controlling share in KCM in 2004. The communities’ primary sources of water for drinking, washing, bathing and irrigating farms are surface water and shallow wells.

They are seeking compensation for loss and damage to their land and their health as a result of the pollution. They are also seeking remediation of the land and the provision of clean water.